What are the concerns of my neighbour?

In this reflection, students reflect on their investigation of the Maciene School community the comparisons they made with their own experiences of being at school. This reflection informs students imagining what the concerns of their neighbour might be.

Key Questions

What are the concerns of my neighbour?

Learning Objectives

• To engage with school pupils in Mozambique
• To reflect on the privileges of being at school in London

Starter

In pairs students choose one of these four areas and mind-map what it means to them:

• Justice and Conflict
• Sustainability
• Equality
• Environment

Students need to give illustrative examples within the mind-map, demonstrating their insights.

Main Activity 1

Introduce the theme using the Letters to Mozambique Powerpoint Unit 1 Lesson 3 - the concerns of my neighbour - letter writing . Students share their ideas and then write five questions that they would want to ask a pupil in Maciene school about the issue. The question should not make assumptions but ask questions. For example:

• Are women treated equally to men?
• Is there any recycling?
• What is it like to live in a country that had a civil war so recently?

They should try to make the questions challenging.

Main Activity 2

Pupils write a letter to a pupils at Maciene school [Download not found] which contains at least two of the questions that they have written down.  The letter should also be addressed to a whole class, give greetings and explain what it is like to live and be at school here.

• Sample letters to Maciene students from Year 8 students at Twyford Sample Y8 letters from Twyford
• Sample responses from Maciene students to Twyford students sample response letters from Maciene

They can also use information from Amrit’s diary  Diary of Amrit Mahli detailing the experiences of a student who visited Maciene school. Pupils who finish can peer-assess each letter to make sure it has appropriate content and is well-written.

Plenary

Pupils share their letters with the class.

Learning Outcomes

• All pupils will be able to identify an issue that may affect children at Maciene
• Most pupils will be able to ask challenging questions to the pupils at Maciene
• Some pupils will be able to analytically compare school life at Twyford and the Maciene

Resources and Points to Note

• Unit 1 Lesson 3 - the concerns of my neighbour - letter writing
• Sample letters to Maciene students from Year 8 students at Twyford Sample Y8 letters from Twyford
• Sample responses  from Maciene students to Twyford students sample response letters from Maciene
• Diary of Amrit Mahli Diary of Amrit Mahli

Theology

Identifying global themes relevant to loving a neighbour – close to home and globally:
the global themes correspond to Jesus’ priorities in his description of the Kingdom of God which he inaugurates, see Luke 4.18-21; and the ethical characteristics which he articulates in his primary teaching: Matthew 5-7 esp. v.v. seeking peace, compassion, equality – Matthew 5.1-6; Non-violence / moving from ego-centred self – Matthew 5.21-26; 38-42; treating others as you would like to be treated – Matthew 7.12.
The scriptures hold out a vision of an ideal state of being, which Jesus points to as the fulfilment of his mission: cf. Isaiah 65.17-25; Revelation 21.1-7; 22.1-5)

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